The Curl
by Karuka Ikashi
Summary: Feliciano and Lovino are sons of the Don who regularly go on missions for the Mafia, always together. When Feliciano suddenly gets captured, however, Lovino finds himself on his own, and he'll stop at nothing to get his brother back...especially before their family secret is revealed. GerIta, Spamano Mafia AU. Rated T for violence and language.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Like a Dream**

The lights of the casino flashed brightly in hues of white, red, and gold as the slot machines rang loudly with their inviting music that elicited feelings of anticipation and opportunity. Anyone could be a winner tonight. Anyone could go home rich. Potential weighed in the air as heavily as the thick smoke from the gamblers' cigarettes. Just the atmosphere was enough to get Feliciano's heart pounding as excitement twisted in his belly. He loved places like this!

The hype, however, was soon replaced by a serious and stoic expression Feliciano attempted to force on his face. They weren't here to play, he reminded himself. This was a mission. They had a duty to fulfill. His father, the Don, had assigned a very important task to the young Italian and his older brother, Lovino. There was no time for games and gambling- at least not the kind of gambling where your money was all you had to lose…

"If you're done gaping like an idiot, follow me," Lovino said, raising his hand to adjust the brim of his fedora.

Feliciano didn't reply. He just gave a nod and walked behind his brother, eyes shifting left and right as they ventured through the crowd of unfriendly strangers on the main gambling floor. It wasn't so surprising that many of the people there stopped to look at them. They were, after all, the sons of the most powerful man in the district, and anyone who was anyone knew it.

Lovino didn't acknowledge the stares. His eyes were shifting through the crowd too, ready to detect any threat, but his stride was swift and purposeful. One would think he had no distractions. It wasn't necessarily true- there was plenty of entertainment available with the potential to stray him from his path, but Lovino refused to give in to any temptation. He knew how pissed the old man would be if he did. As if the bastard wasn't surrounded in pretty girls and fine wine himself.

"Stay close," Feliciano heard his brother grumble. It was funny how protective the older Vargas could be. When they were at home, Lovino always acted like he couldn't get rid of him fast enough, complaining about Feliciano and distancing himself more often than seeking him out. When they were out on assignments, however, Lovino rarely let Feliciano out of his reach. If the younger Italian so much as strayed a few feet, Lovino would grab him by the collar and reel him back in. It was annoying at times (especially when Feliciano wanted to flirt), but he knew his brother was only doing it because he cared, and he couldn't help but be grateful for that.

They reached the back door of the casino and went inside. They were supposed to meet the owner here and demand their cut of the profits from the past month. The Vargas family had a contract with this casino that entitled them to a certain percentage of the casino's revenue in exchange for protection and a few other private services. Lovino wasn't even sure what the details were. He just knew that his old man expected him to return with a briefcase full of money in his hand. The Don had sent Feliciano as back-up… _"The useless favorite son,"_ Lovino thought bitterly, though in truth, he was glad Feliciano was here. He needed all the support he could get.

Feliciano himself wasn't exactly sure how he felt about being here. Once the excitement of being in such a lively place wore off, the reality of the situation began to sink in in its stead. People were rarely kind when they were asked to pay, especially when it was obvious that they were avoiding doing so. The younger Vargas brother usually left most of the yelling to his brother, but if they were lucky, it wouldn't come to a shouting match or the exchange of threats. He knew there was a reason that their father had sent both of them along. Lovino had the same fire and strength as the Don when it came to intimidation, but Felicano had the power of persuasion. He could sweet talk a hardened criminal into joining a cheer squad. No one knew exactly how he did it, but Feliciano was good at this, as it was one of the few talents he had that were of any use to the family business. Still, he was a coward, and for that reason, he was no good on his own. He needed Lovino's support. Feliciano never went on a single assignment without his big brother beside him, and he secretly hoped that would never change.

"Well, if it isn't the Vargas brothers," a husky voice said from behind the table of the room they came to. "Your papa couldn't be bothered to come talk to me himself? Had to send two whelps in his place?"

"Watch what you say, bastard," Lovino growled. "The Don doesn't have time to waste on assholes like you! We're here to collect…"

"Always so diplomatic with your words, Lovino," the client chuckled. "I'm sure your father knows already that I intend to pay the debt in my own time."

"You're not the one who gets to determine when the money is due, dammit!" Lovino snapped, and Feliciano flinched at the rising volume of his voice. "We're not leaving until you give us what you owe."

"Then you will be here a long time, my young friends. Go ahead, pull up a chair and let me entertain you…"

The man gestured towards the chairs across the table from him. At the same time his right hand moved however, his left was already sliding into the pocket of his jacket. Lovino and Feliciano didn't need to wait until they had seen the gun to react instantly. The older struck the gun out of the man's hand before he even had the chance to pull the trigger. The weapon flew towards the wall and crashed to the floor.

"Feli, it's time to work!" Lovino shouted as the younger brother turned to run. Feliciano didn't get very far, though. All of a sudden, there was a blow to the side of his head, and then, everything went black.

It only lasted for a moment. Feliciano opened his eyes, feeling a bit dizzy, and as soon as his head cleared, he realized where he was. This was a mission. He was ready to do what he had come here for. It was as if the fear had drained out of him, replaced instead by unexplainable aggression. Part of Feliciano knew he was not himself, but it didn't matter. The darker side of him was taking over fast.

"Kill him!" Lovino yelled, and Feliciano felt something burn within him, a strong desire for violence and the chance to show someone what happened when you messed with the Vargas family.

A slow, sadistic smile came over his features. Their client was now pointing a new gun at him. Feliciano just faced the man and laughed.

"Do you know what the Don would do if you murdered one of his sons?" he asked, unfazed by the threat of the weapon. "Do you know how much blood you'd have to pay to make up for mine?"

He approached the table casually, hands in his pockets, before leaning forward fearlessly and placing his palms on its hard surface. "Are you really going to shoot me?"

"No," the man replied, "but I'm going to give you the chance to get your asses out of here before a put a few holes in your fancy suits."

Their client seemed confident despite Feliciano's dramatic change in demeanor, but he was completely caught off-guard when the Italian started laughing loudly again.

"I don't think you understand the situation you're in," Feliciano told him, leaning even closer, as far over the table as he could until the barrel of the gun was inches from his nose. "We're here to collect. You can either give us the money, or-" In an instant, Feliciano's hand when up, knocking the gun out of the man's hand and letting a bullet whiz by his ear. "-we can take it from you."

Feliciano grabbed the man by the collar as Lovino bent down to retrieve the guns. The unlucky client struggled, but he froze when he saw his own weapons pointed against him. Feiciano's grip was firm and merciless as he spoke.

"Well?"

"F-fine!" the man stammered, and Feliciano threw him back down into the seat roughly. The client threw him a dirty look and reached for the phone on his desk. He dialed a number and muttered something hastily into the receiver.

The Italian brothers waited, Lovino's fingers twitching impatiently on the triggers of the two guns he held. Feliciano narrowed his eyes as he heard the door open. He didn't trust the client's men for one second and knew Lovino didn't either. His older brother turned one of the guns on the newcomers, glaring threateningly as two men entered the room with a briefcase in their hands- one each.

"There's your money," the client growled from the table. "Take it and go."

"Wait," Feliciano said, taking the briefcases. "We'll check them first."

He set one down on the table and had only just started to open it when Lovino suddenly shoved him out of the way. There was a boom as something erupted from within the suitcase. The rest was a blur. One moment, Feliciano was standing there- the next, he was hurtling towards the ground. A few more gunshots were all he heard before he blacked out.

/

_Cold!_ Feliciano jerked awake as a splash of water hit his face. He jumped, startled, and looked around himself wildly. They were in a dark place outside…An alley? It sure _smelled_ like one.

"W-what happened?! Fratello, are you okay?!" he cried, turning to see Lovino beside him, much to his relief. Feliciano was just about to throw himself on his scowling brother, but stopped suddenly when he noticed something strange- Lovino was wearing different clothes from before. Feliciano stared at them, confused. Had he really been unconscious for that long?

"Ve…? Lovi- when did you change your clothes?"

"Idiot!" Lovino growled, looking like he was trying really hard not to hit the other. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Your clothes are different! And the client! What happened to him? Did we get the money for Papa? Are we going home?"

He was talking really fast right now, and Lovino was staring at him as if he had grown two heads and his hair was made of pasta.

"You should have seen me, Fratello! I was so cool! I wasn't even scared! It was just like- Just like-"

"A dream," Lovino snapped. "Your dreams are the only place where you can be anything but a useless moron."

"Oh…" Feliciano said quietly, looking a bit hurt and disappointed.

"You know our old man is gone," his older brother murmured quietly, looking down at the ground.

Feliciano bit his lip and nodded slowly, tears welling up in his eyes. Now that he was fully awake, reality was starting to hit him again. The Don had disappeared over a week ago, leaving the entire Family in the hands of his underboss, Sadiq Annan. Lovino hated Sadiq, and Feliciano was terrified of him. He made the brothers take on dangerous missions the Don would have never allowed, and his interest in using the two young men, who had yet to be "made" as full-fledged Mafiosi, for such tasks was very unsettling. Did he mean to kill them before the Don returned? Lovino had already told Feliciano that he didn't think their father was coming back. The man had too many enemies, too much power that others were hungry for- and he had made some questionable choices. Sadiq wasn't even Italian, but he had been allowed into the Family based on his merits and a network of connections too important for the Don to ignore. The fact that he had been promoted to underboss was a sign of how much the Don had trusted him, but the sudden disappearance of his father made Feliciano wonder if this trusted "ally" had something to do with it.

Feliciano wiped at his eyes hastily. He couldn't let himself think about it too much right now. He had been horribly depressed since his father vanished, but he had still managed to stay hopeful that he would return, no matter what anyone else said. He had to keep his head together if he was going to stay alive until then. Lovino frowned at him for a moment, and finally, sighing, he reached out to clap his hand over his brother's shoulder in a rare gesture of comfort.

"Look…you're not completely useless, okay? There's a reason you and I always work together."

He gripped Feliciano's shoulder tighter and finally let his hand fall. It wasn't like Lovino to be anything close to kind, but his brother was one of the few people he really cared about, and he couldn't let him go long believing any differently.

"Really?" Feliciano replied with a smile. "So…you really do like having me around?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Lovino mumbled, embarrassed. "Let's just get to the assignment already."

The older Italian briefed his brother as they went, explaining the mission again because apparently Feliciano was "too lost in dreamland to remember anything." They had a deal to seal with the owner of a new resort that had just opened in town. The man was a fellow Italian, a former acquaintance of the Don. Sadiq was offering him business in exchange for some information on the foreign guests staying at the hotel. The Vargas Family had a huge network of people, which meant a lot of money coming in to wherever Sadiq chose to put them up.

Lovino led his brother out from the alleyways and towards the bright lights of the flashy new resort. Feliciano felt the same excitement from his dream return, a burst of childish awe and fascination. Lovino had to drag him along to keep him from gawking in one spot for too long. The older Italian hated the noisiness of these places, Feliciano knew. No doubt his brother would want to get out of here as soon as possible.

But some things about this new place seemed to change Lovino's mood. This resort was a classy place, and it attracted classy people…Ladies in particular. Feliciano caught sight of the slight smirk that crossed Lovino's features as a group of rather scantily clad women passed them. It was so small, anyone else wouldn't have noticed, but Feliciano knew his brother. If there was one thing that could make the grumpy Italian happy, it was a pretty face.

"Don't get distracted on the job, Fratello," Feliciano teased, guessing easily where Lovino's mind lingered as the two continued walking.

"Hah! That's some advice coming from you, dickhead," Lovino grumbled as he went on, not even looking at his brother.

"They'll still be here after the job's over!" the younger Italian sang a little too loudly, earning himself a good smack.

"Shut up!" Lovino snapped, not looking the least bit remorseful. "Just once in your life, try to stay focused!"

Feliciano frowned indignantly, but decided to stop his teasing for now. After all, work was more important. He was sure Lovino would be less grumpy once their assignment was taken care of. The two came across a large set of doors that seemed to lead to a private area in the back of the resort. Lovino took Feliciano aside and set him by the door, putting two hands on his shoulders as if this would help keep him in place.

"Don't move from this spot, understand? I'm going to go ask where our client is. It'll look less invasive if you stay here till I come for you, so don't. Fucking. Go. Anywhere. Got it?"

Feliciano nodded before stopping and cocking his head worriedly.

"But…what about you, Fratello? What if you get in trouble and need help?"

Lovino scoffed.

"You'll be more helpful if you just stay out of the way. This isn't a dangerous assignment, dammit. I'll be back in no time, so just relax for a bit, alright? And no flirting!"

With that, he was gone. Feliciano stood still for a total of three minutes before he started bouncing on the balls of his feet. No flirting? Well Lovino had never said he couldn't look.

Feliciano was eying one of the ladies dealing cards when suddenly, a silky, feminine voice spoke on the other side of him.

"Don't you win more money by gambling than you do by staring?"

The Italian turned to see a tall, slender woman in a green dress standing next to him. She was very beautiful, with light brown hair and alluring green eyes. In her hair, she wore a pink flower. Feliciano forgot all the other women in the room instantly.

"Oh, I- I wasn't really gambling! I came here with my brother. I'm just waiting for him right now!"

"Oh? Where is he?" the stranger asked curiously, tilting her head a bit.

Feliciano was too captivated to consider his family's secrecy as he blurted out an answer.

"He went to go talk to someone! He should be back soon, though! You're very pretty, miss. Would you tell me your name?"

Before he knew it, Feliciano found himself doing what he knew best- showering the lovely lady with compliments and flirting like a true Italian. The lady seemed flattered by the attention, but she wouldn't tell him who she was. The mystery only fueled Feliciano's curiosity. He joked and teased her, doing his best to win her over with his charm, the way he was convinced always worked with the ladies he had known. If Lovino had been there, he would have slapped his brother upside the head for acting so foolish, but Feliciano knew his older brother's habits weren't much different. Finally, the mystery woman made to leave.

"It's been nice talking to you, Curly," she said sweetly. Feliciano laughed a bit at the silly nickname, loving the touch of familiarity. He had playfully told his new acquaintance that he would not give his name until he had learned hers. The lady smiled at him and caressed the side of the Italian's face. "I would love to get to know you better, but it seems I'm out of time. I was wondering, though…Could I possibly trouble you for one small favor?"

"O-of course! No problem at all!" Feliciano responded eagerly, before even hearing what the request was.

"I left my bag in my room, and it's terribly heavy. Would you be a dear and help me carry it down to the lobby?"

The thought of leaving his post finally made Feliciano reconsider for a moment.

"I- Well, my brother will be back soon, and he'll be looking for me. I should probably stay here…"

"Oh, it won't take long," the lady insisted. "You'll be back here right away! Of course, if you're that worried about it…"

"Ah, it's okay! I'll do it quick, and he won't even notice! Let's go."

And with that, Feliciano hurried away behind the woman, following her to the elevator that went up to the fancy suites of the resort. Feliciano was still nervous about Lovino discovering him gone, but he couldn't abandon a lady in need of his help. Surely his brother would understand.

The elevator dinged, and the two exited on the fifteenth floor. The woman led Feliciano to her door and unlocked it. As it swung open, Feliciano noticed it was completely dark inside. He followed the woman into the room, hearing the door shut behind him. He waited for the lights to come on, but they never did. Instead there was a clang of metal and a sudden pain at the back of his head that seemed to make the sound echo to some faraway place. The Italian fell to the ground never knowing what hit him. The darkness of the room remained even as his consciousness slipped away.

* * *

**A/N**: Welcome, everyone who's joining me for this ride into a Mafia AU. This fic will focus mostly on brotherly relationships, but expect some Spamano and GerIta down the line. Let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Captive**

When Feliciano woke up, he had no idea where he was. It felt as if he had awoken from another dream, but this time, he had a throbbing feeling at the back of his head to prove that he hadn't imagined being led to a hotel room and knocked out. How stupid of him! Lovino was going to kill him when he had found out Feliciano had left his post. That is, if the kidnappers didn't do the deed first…The thought caused the Italian to whimper and start trembling. This was horrible! He was lying on a cold floor with his wrists and ankles bound, and it was so dark that he couldn't see a thing. What a nightmare…_Fratello, save me!_ Feliciano begged in his mind.

Then, suddenly, a loud banging sound somewhere above him made him jump and go completely still. The lights clicked on, and Feliciano could hear footsteps coming closer and closer- someone heavy and well-built. Feliciano's breath hitched, and he closed his eyes tightly, not daring to look at the one who would surely be his executioner. Is this really how it ends?! Feliciano had always known the risks, but he had felt safe as long as Lovino was around. Now he was alone, and completely helpless. What could he do? _Dio,_ he was going to wet his pants any second now-

"Awake, are you? Enough with the sniveling! Act like the son of a Don, you pathetic little bastard!"

Feliciano yelped at the sound of the big, booming voice yelling down angrily at him. The Italian still refused to open his eyes, imagining his captor as some hideous monster that would cause him to lose whatever was left of his self-control as soon as he laid eyes upon it. Still, he had to stop his whining somehow. Staying silent only caused him to make more whimpering noises that would certainly anger his captor further. At first, the words caught in his throat, but as soon as he found his voice, Feliciano couldn't stop babbling.

"I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me! I'm no one special! I was just talking with a nice lady and ended up here by mistake! Please, please, let me go, and I promise I'll never bother you again!" he begged.

He was met with silence that was more frightening than anything his captor could have said. Finally, Feliciano heard the other man sigh heavily and begin to speak.

"Are you really that much of an idiot? That was no mistake. That woman's job was to lure you up to the room where you were captured. Now you are our hostage, Lovino Vargas!"

Now it was Feliciano's turn to go quiet. Lovino? So they thought he was his brother? It was hard to wrap his head around this and the fact that he had been tricked into falling into this trap. What a mess he was in now…But what did they want with his Fratello? Feliciano started whimpering again, wondering what had become of the older Italian.

"B-but, I'm not Lovino!" Feliciano exclaimed.

"Bullshit!" the man snarled, pressing his boot down on his captive's head, causing Feliciano to shriek. "If you think I will fall for a stupid lie like that, you're sorely mistaken!" his captor barked, and this time, the volume of his voice startled Feliciano into opening his eyes. He gave one last low whimper as the boot was removed, and he squinted up at the other man. His captor was as tall and scary as he'd had imagined, but maybe not quite as ugly. He was a muscular man with slicked-back blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He wore brown pants and a dark green shirt that made Feliciano think he might have been with the military or something. Had the law finally caught up with him? No…professionals wouldn't tie him up and lock him in a basement, he thought. There was no way to really know until he asked.

"Who…who are you?" the Italian squeaked timidly.

"My name is Ludwig," his captor growled. "Ludwig Beilschmidt. Ring a bell?"

Feliciano shook his head vigorously.

"N-no! And I don't understand w-why you brought me here! What did I do?!"

"Shut up!" Ludwig shouted, causing Feliciano to cower and tremble some more. "You are a hostage. And until your Family gives me what I want, there's no way you are getting out of here!"

The Italian tried to steady his quivering lip to keep the cries of fear and distress from escaping his mouth. It was hopeless! This jerk was going to keep him tied up on the floor here until the Family paid whatever price his captor demanded for him. If his Papa had been there, he wouldn't have taken the ransom lightly. It made Feliciano nervous to think about what his Family would do once they found out he was gone. He almost felt sorry for Ludwig. Even if the man got his ransom, there would be no way he'd live long enough to spend any of it.

"Y-you're making a big mistake," Feliciano warned. "My Pa-…the Don, doesn't go easy on people who take his Family members hostage. I-if you want t-to live, I suggest you…let me go!"

Ludwig stomped his foot inches from Feliciano's face, so hard, the Italian could feel the tremors through the floor and the wind from the impact. He froze and stared at the black leather boot in front of his nose. His throat was tight and speechless as the other spoke.

"Nice try, but I'm not impressed by your threats. Everyone knows your 'Papa' isn't around anymore...Still, the Vargas Family has something that I need from them. Releasing you is not an option! With you as my hostage, they'll have no choice but to give in to my demands, so behave yourself, Lovino, and keep your filthy mouth SHUT!"

Feliciano winced. He debated telling Ludwig that he was not Lovino again, but he knew the other wouldn't believe him, thinking it was just some weak attempt to get himself free. Besides, Ludwig had just told him to stay quiet, and the Italian wasn't eager to feel that heavy boot upon his face again if he disobeyed. Instead, he just stared at the floor and let his eyes water over. Before he knew it, teardrops were rolling down his face as he cried quietly.

Ludwig scoffed and looked down on him without showing any signs of pity.

"Enough! Be a man and stop that pathetic weeping. You're not dead yet."

Feliciano sniffed, wiping at his eyes and hiding his face. Would this man really kill him? The thought was terrifying to the Italian, and no matter what he did, he couldn't stop trembling. He wanted to beg and plead with his captor, convince him to let him go somehow, but without being allowed to talk, all he could do was cower quietly and whimper. Lovino would have surely smacked him if he had been there. Thinking of his brother just made Feliciano cry harder. Where was he? Why did he have to be gone at the time when Feliciano needed him the most? He could always count on Lovino before. Even if they were running away, they were always running together. Now he was captured, and he had no clue what had happened to his brother. Was he looking for him? Had something happened to him too? At least Feliciano knew this man and the people who worked with him didn't have his brother. Feliciano could only hope nothing had gone wrong with the rest of their mission.

"Fratello…" Feliciano squeaked quietly between a choked sob.

"I told you to stop!" his captor snapped, tapping the point of his boot against Feliciano's side. The Italian flinched, expecting it to be more painful, but apparently it was just a warning. "Now listen to me," Ludwig continued, "You are my prisoner and are expected to do exactly as I say. Rule number one is no speaking without permission. Number two: no whining or pathetic displays of weakness. That includes crying! And lastly, no disobedience whatsoever. If I ask you a question, you will answer it. If I give you an order, you will follow it. Is that clear?"

Feliciano flinched at the harsh voice, but didn't say anything. Instead he looked up at Ludwig with large, questioning eyes.

"I just asked you a question!" his captor bellowed.

"A-ah! Permission to speak, please!" Feliciano cried.

Ludwig stared at him for a moment, quietly grinding his teeth in annoyance.

"Yes, dammit! If I'm asking you a question, I'm giving you permission to speak! Now are my rules CLEAR?"

"Y-yes, sir!" the Italian yelped. He really hated being yelled at. No one had dared yell at him when he was with the Don. In fact, the only one that ever yelled at Feliciano aside from the occasional ill-fated client was Lovino. This man was probably even bossier than his brother was, and his voice was a whole lot scarier. Feliciano would do anything to make it stop.

"Good," Ludwig said, his voice softer now, to his captive's relief. "You'll likely be here for a while, so you'd better get used to it. If anything, it'll be good for you. You're much too soft for a Mafioso."

Feliciano frowned at him, but didn't say anything. Sure, he knew he wasn't exactly the scary mobster most people imagined when they thought of the mafia- but his Family made him feel valuable. He and his brother were always sent on assignments with the expectation that their mission would be a success, and even Lovino had said it himself: _There's a reason you and I always work together._ Maybe his brother needed him too.

Ludwig grabbed the front of Feliciano's shirt then and forced him up onto his feet. It was hard to do with his legs ties and without his arms for balance, but the Italian wobbled into a standing position and was steadied by his captor's strong arm. His face paled, and he closed his eyes tight, expecting pain to come. Instead, he was met by a chilling silence that almost made Feliciano wish Ludwig would start yelling again just to stop this dreadful anticipation.

"You know where he is, don't you?"

The question was the last thing Feliciano was expecting.

"W-what?!" the Italian stuttered, a bit too loud. He got a good shake for his trouble that left his head aching.

"You know!" Ludwig accused, keeping his grip on Feliciano's shirt tight. "You know where my brother is! And I'm not going to let you go until your damn family gives him back to me!"

"I-I don't know anything!" Feliciano shrieked. "I mean it! I don't even know who your brother is! I'm sure I've never met him before!"

Surely he would have remembered anyone as remotely loud and scary as this man was.

"I don't believe you," Ludwig growled. "Your Family's taken him. I don't know why, but I won't rest until he's set free. If your Family's done anything to him-" The blonde man's eyes hardened and sent a chill down Feliciano's spine. "-I'll see that you meet the same fate."

Feliciano's breath hitched. He could usually tell when someone was bluffing, but for Ludwig, he just wasn't sure. There was the murderous look in his captor's eyes that he had seen far too much of, and it terrified the Italian. This person was serious.

"Please…" Feliciano begged, "I don't want to die here. I'll do anything you want, just please- don't kill me!"

Ludwig released him roughly, letting the bound Italian topple to the ground.

"Hmph…I don't have much respect for the word of a criminal. Granted- I don't have the cleanest slate myself. Are you really the son of the Don? I never expected Lovino Vargas to be such a coward."

Feliciano stared at him miserably. What would Lovino do? Most likely the older Italian would have been screaming insults and profanities at their enemy, but Feliciano didn't have the gall to do the same. His life was in danger- a threat that had been made very clear to him. He wasn't about to get careless all of a sudden or risk making his captor angry. Still, as a member of the Vargas family, even he couldn't stay silent while he was called such names.

"I'm not a coward!" Feliciano protested. "I've been on plenty of missions and survived every one of them! I-I might not want to die…but I won't bring shame to my Family!"

The look Ludwig gave him was enough to make Feliciano shrink back in terror again. He almost spouted an apology, but his words were not something he could take back. He really had meant every one of them.

"Your Family has already lost all respect in my eyes for what they did to my brother. We had no quarrel with you, and your people still took him away from me. I demand an explanation and his quick and safe return! Even if you had nothing to do with it yourself, someone in your Family must! It happened while your father was still in power, and Don Vargas never would have allowed it without his consent."

"My- my father had no reason to kidnap your brother! Actually, he hated kidnapping! He almost never did it!" Feliciano had to bite his tongue before giving away the reason why- that the Don had hated kidnapping so much because his own sons had been stolen and held for ransom as little boys, and even at his most desperate times, such an action had always been a last resort.

"Your father is the reason my brother is gone!" Ludwig shouted. "He was last seen talking with _your_ people. Our family has worked with yours on occasion as associates, but we never failed at a job or did anything to deserve this. _Why,_ then? Why was my brother taken?"

Feliciano felt his throat tighten. How could he reply to questions he didn't know the answers to? His father had worked with so many people. Associates were not "made" men; they only handled the dirty work for a fraction of the reward. There was no way Feliciano could keep track of all of them, and he certainly never remembered hearing the name "Beilschmidt" at any point in his life. Part of him felt kind of bad for Ludwig. Having a brother himself, Feliciano could understand how upset he must be about losing him.

"I-I'm sorry," Feliciano finally said. "I can't help you. You see...I'm not made either. My father never wanted me to join the family business, but he got pressured. He tries -tried- to keep us out of it as much as he could, so I've never heard about anything your family did with us. Please, you have to believe me!"

Ludwig's face hardened. Feliciano flinched in preparation for a smack or kick, but none came. Instead, his captor just sighed, and the corners of his lips fell as disappointment clouded his blue eyes.

"Useless. I don't know why I wasted time talking to you. If your life wasn't so valuable, I'd leave you to rot. Pray that your Family has more information about my brother than you do."

With that, he turned to go back up the stairs.

"W-wait! Don't leave me alone! " Feliciano cried, panicking. "It's cold and uncomfortable down here! Please! At least untie me! Please!"

He had let his mouth run ahead of his brain again. Ludwig whirled around, gave him an icy glare, and shouted.

"SHUT UP! Prisoners do not get to choose their conditions. If you behave yourself, I _might_ be inclined to make your living conditions a little more bearable, but until then, you WILL follow the rules!"

He turned around and marched up the stairs, leaving a quivering Feliciano behind him. _"Fratello..."_ Feliciano thought sadly, _"come save me soon."_

* * *

__**A/N:** Thank you to everyone who's following this story. I appreciate your comments, and they've definitely motivated me to keep this going. From here, we'll alternate between Lovino and Feliciano (so my fellow Spamano fans can look forward to the next chapter). Expect it soon!

-K.I.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Brother's Keeper**

Lovino Vargas collapsed into a chair outside the closest cafe, exhausted. He hadn't slept all night- not since he had lost his brother. Lovino had spent hours searching the casino resort and surrounding areas, looking for the missing half of his duo. By now he was sick with worry and terrified to go home. What would Sadiq say when he found out Lovino had lost Feliciano? He knew how valuable his brother was to the underboss, and being responsible for Feliciano's disappearance could really land him in a lot of trouble. It wasn't just fear of punishment that was distressing Lovino, though. No, the worst thing of all was that he had lost his _brother_, the only real family he had left that was actually related by blood and had more interest in him than just his father's legacy. First the Don, and now Feliciano...Lovino had never felt more alone. Ever since childhood, the two had hardly been apart for more than a day, and suddenly, it seemed like they might never see each other again. Where could he have gone? Part of Lovino had suspected that his brother might have run away; their lives were far from the safest ones, and he knew how much Feliciano hated it. The Mafia world terrified him. They had talked about escaping, about starting new lives somewhere where no one knew them and they would be able to live peacefully, but there was just no way it could ever happen. Even the Don hadn't been able to keep them out. Once the other Mafiosi had learned what they could do, the brothers had become indispensable tools of the system. And the worst part was that they were used to it by now.

_Fuck,_ Lovino thought as he slumped over the table miserably. There was no doubt about it. Someone must have kidnapped Feliciano and locked him up far away by now. The thought caused Lovino to shudder. He remembered that incident well, even though it had been over fifteen years ago. Someone had taken him and his brother right from under the Don's nose and held them for ransom, telling them that if they didn't shut up and behave, they would be killed before their Papa even handed over the money for them. Lovino had been there to hold his brother's hand back then, to try to play the brave older sibling even though he had already wet himself a long time ago. They had gotten through it together, and Lovino had covered his younger brother's eyes when their father's men had come to slaughter the kidnappers. But there was no one to protect Feliciano now. The younger Italian was alone, and it was all Lovino's fault for not keeping a better eye on him. He had failed him, and now he was going to lose him just like his father. Feliciano must have been scared out of his mind...

Before Lovino knew it, he was crying quietly into the darkness of his arms folded before him on the table. Such shame...What kind of Mafioso shed tears in public? Lovino tried to pull himself together, wiping at his eyes and taking a few deep breaths to calm himself before sitting up straight again. Being a wuss about this wasn't going to help get his brother back. Lovino needed a plan, some way to find out who had been watching them that night, but so far, he had nothing to go off of. The first suspect, of course, had been the client they had gone to see, but there had been no conflicts in that meeting, so Lovino didn't see a reason why Feliciano would be taken, unless the client was stupid enough to think they could get a ransom out of Sadiq while the Don was still missing. Most other people would have had much more sense. Thinking about his father's enemies made it hard to narrow down any further suspects, and it gave Lovino a headache just to think of the possibilities. The Italian took a deep breath and was about to rise shakily to his feet to continue the search, when suddenly, someone put a hot, steaming mug in front of him.

"You look like you could use some coffee," a friendly voice chirped.

If Lovino had been feeling more like himself, he might have sprang up onto his feet, confronted the guy for daring to talk to him, and told him to get lost. As it was, though, the would-be Mafioso could only stare apathetically at the mug before giving a bit of attention to the man who had placed it in front of him.

"Fuck that," he murmured, pushing the cup away. Lovino knew better than to accept beverages from strangers, even if he was a little thirsty. The quality was probably crap anyway- he didn't expect much better, coming from a place like this. "Who the hell are you?"

"My name's Antonio," the other replied cheerfully. Lovino couldn't understand how anyone could ever be as happy as the man sounded, but maybe it was his own sour mood that made him resent it so much. He frowned at Antonio, looking him up and down in that observant way he had been taught by the Family. The man was well tanned with wavy brown locks and bright green eyes. He stood wearing a red shirt and light yellow apron. He was giving Lovino an idiotic smile that kind of made the Italian want to punch him in the face. "I haven't seen you around here, señor. What's your name?"

"None of your damn business," Lovino snapped. He was hardly ever in the mood to be friendly to a stranger he had no use for, especially right then.

"Oh, the mysterious type, huh? I like that!"

Lovino threw him a death glare from where he sat and debated showing Antonio how very impractical of him it was to wear such a light colored apron while handling hot cups of dark liquids that had the potential to leave some nasty stains.

"Leave me alone, bastard," he sighed, finally. "There are other people who'll actually listen to your lousy excuse for flirting and pay for this shit you call coffee. I don't know whose ass you pull these beans from, but this coffee couldn't taste worse if you chewed them up and spat them back into the cup yourself." Nevermind that he hadn't actually tried it.

"I'm really sorry, señor," the man answered, unfazed by his words. "I don't get many customers, you see, so I only keep instant coffee around."

Lovino snorted, suddenly feeling even more assured in his decision not to drink the inferior beverage.

"And that's exactly WHY you have no stinking customers. Get some _real_ coffee, and maybe then you can call it a cafe. You know what people really like? A good cappuccino. Maybe a shot of espresso- doppio, ristretto, macchiato...They're good because they're Italian, but a crackhead like you would probably just mess them up."

"Wow, you know a lot about this, señor..."

"Don't call me that, bastard."

"Then give me a name so I have something to call you."

Lovino hesitated.

"...Romano."

"Oh, _Rrr_omano," Antonio replied, rolling the name out on his tongue as he invited himself to sit down at the table across from the other man. "That's a very nice name."

"Yeah, couldn't have picked a better one myself," Lovino grumbled, shaking his head a bit and giving the cafe owner a disapproving frown as Antonio took a seat. Aliases were nothing new, but he wasn't sure why he had decided to go with this one. He supposed it did sound good so long as he kept his mind off cheese.

"So what do you-"

"This isn't a fucking interview," Lovino snapped suddenly, losing patience with the other. "I don't have to answer your questions just because you gave me a damn cup of coffee. I shouldn't even be sitting around here right now. I've got...stuff to do."

"Stuff?" Antonio replied curiously. "Like what? Can I help?"

Lovino had to take a breath to calm his nerves. It was bad enough being as stressed out as he was without some nosy jerk asking him all these intrusive questions.

"N-no, you can't," he stuttered. "This is _my_ problem and I'm gonna fix it!"

"Ah, I see..." the other sighed. "That's too bad. I was hoping I could help you with something so I might be able to ask for a favor in return, but if you're busy, I suppose there's nothing we can do about it."

Lovino raised an eyebrow at him.

"What do you want from _me_?"

"You seem to know a lot about what people would like from a place like this. I've had so much trouble getting customers that soon this cafe will go out of business. I need someone with a critical eye who can tell me how to improve the service here and give me ideas about how to change the menu. You're the only one who's stopped here for a long time, and I like-"

"Even if I had time to save this shithole," Lovino interrupted, "there's nothing you can do for me to solve _my_ problem. I've wasted enough time here, so if you don't mind..."

The words caught in Lovino's throat as suddenly he noticed a figure standing not

too far away behind Antonio. It was a tall man with short brown hair and a well-trimmed beard, standing among a group of two soldiers and a capo. Even though he wore a mask, he was all too familiar to Lovino. _Sadiq!_ His face paled, and without thinking twice about it, the Italian dove under the table, leaving the cafe owner very confused.

"Roma...no?"

"Shh, shut up!" Lovino hissed. "Pretend I'm not here, dammit!"

Antonio shifted his feet and began whistling loudly, earning himself a hard smack to the leg from the angry fugitive beneath him. The idiot was going to give him away! Just as he began sweating and twitching nervously, Lovino heard the mug of coffee move on the table so that it was placed in front of Antonio instead of an empty seat. Maybe the bastard knew something about being subtle after all.

The small bushes lining the cafe property kept Lovino hidden from view from the main street. He stayed down there for a good ten minutes before he finally built up the courage to peek above the table and see if the one he was avoiding was gone. Not seeing him anywhere in sight, the Italian casually slid back up into his seat and dusted off his pants. Antonio stared at him curiously, taking a sip from the coffee mug.

"Friend of yours?"

Lovino glared at him.

"Hardly. Shit...did you see which way he went?" he asked Antonio, intent on running as fast as he could in the other direction.

"He went down that street," the cafe owner said, pointing as Lovino leapt up, "but-"

The Italian stopped mid-step, looking at Antonio irritably.

"-the men he was with spread out. They could be anywhere."

Lovino swore. What was he going to do now? If he was found, the situation could get more than a little sticky, and worse- he would be forced to stop his search for his brother.

"Dammit..."

He held his head in the palms of his hands, gripping his hair. He flinched when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, why don't you come inside?" Antonio asked. "No one is ever here. Whoever you're hiding from won't think to look in my cafe."

Lovino frowned at him, not answering right away. He weighed his options carefully. Of course staying here would be a waste of time as far as his search was concerned. His brother wasn't going to be found any faster as long as he was stuck in this place...but Lovino still had no leads, no idea of where he could go that he hadn't checked already, and he was so, so tired. The Italian rubbed his temple and let out an exasperated sigh as if Antonio had asked for a favor rather than offered one.

"Fine...but only until things settle down, got it?"

"You're welcome," Antonio chuckled and led the way into the cafe.

Lovino followed him inside, giving the establishment a critical look around. The cafe had a wooden floor and dark orange walls that put the tourists' instant tanning lotion to shame. There were a few scattered chairs and tables in the middle. On the far side of the cafe, there was a worn red couch that looked like it had been donated by some charity. The decorations were simple, and it was a lot darker than Lovino thought it should be. Didn't the bastard ever think about getting some proper lighting in here? On the other hand, the darkness was comforting, making his hideout seem more secluded. Still- that didn't mean that it couldn't use a bit of livening up.

"This place feels more like a morgue than a cafe," Lovino muttered. "And that smell...Open a fucking window."

He went over to the side of the cafe that was not facing the street and opened the window wide, letting some fresh air in. He didn't miss the dust that sprinkled onto the floor. Lovino wiped a finger across the windowsill and brought it up to his lips, blowing off the filth.

"Seriously? You wonder why people don't come around when you can't even be bothered to clean up around here..."

The cafe owner rubbed the back of his neck embarrassedly.

"Sorry. I usually keep things much tidier, but lately I've just been too busy worrying about other things."

"Like what?" Lovino asked with a frown.

"Um, well," Antonio replied, taking a look around as if he was searching for something, "Finances, and I suppose...just a way to keep this place open."

Lovino tapped his fingers on the windowsill, clearly unsatisfied with this answer.

"You really think people are going to want to come to a place that already looks like it's on its way out? If you want customers, _clean it the hell up._"

"Alright, alright," the other man agreed. "I will need your help though- in exchange for my protective services."

Lovino shook his head, muttering something about not being a maid- he _never_ did housework at home- but he supposed it was a fair enough trade for a decent place to hide. The young man picked up a broom, kicking up dirt with his clumsy sweeping. He broke a few cups and knocked over the same chair twice before Antonio finally let him know that he had helped enough and offered Lovino a seat in the small second-hand couch on the other side of the room. The Italian collapsed on top of it, his body reminding him how exhausted he was from his sleepless night and the work he had just done. Even now, it was hard to sleep, though. He couldn't get Feliciano off his mind, and he knew that wherever his brother was, it couldn't be anywhere good. Whether he had been taken by force or run away of his own free will, it was more than likely that the younger Italian was desperate to come home at this point. Lovino couldn't imagine him lasting long out there on his own. His father had made him promise always to look out for his _fratellino_, and until now, Lovino had always kept that promise. Feliciano needed him, and Lovino knew that without his protection, things could go very wrong, very fast. _You idiot...stay out of trouble._

He barely even noticed when Antonio finished the rest of the cleaning. He was too busy zoning out, imagining his brother in a hundred different situations before his brain grew too tired to think anymore. Lovino sank into the couch, letting himself slide into a comfortable position, making a pillow with his arms. His eyes grew heavier, and the last thing he saw before drifting off completely was Antonio putting another cup of that crap he called coffee on the low table before him.

tbc

* * *

**A/N: Finally one for the Spamano fans~ From here, we'll be switching back and forth between Lovi's and Feli's point of view. I hope you're enjoying the story so far! I've begun working on the next chapter, but it might be a bit slow. Thank you all for your patience and awesome feedback. Hope to hear more from you!**

**-K.I.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: To His Heart**

Feliciano may have been in a very dark and lonely place, but that didn't mean that his stomach was any quieter. It growled noisily as he lay there, lacking the energy to even move. Growing up spoiled in the Don's household, Feliciano had never gone hungry before, and he wasn't taking this newfound hardship very well at all. He let out a low whimper and tried to make himself think of anything besides food, but found that doing so only led his thoughts back to his brother, and this was just as bad. _I want to go home!_

It was then that the door up above the staircase creaked open, making Feliciano flinch. Ludwig was coming back to step on his head again, he was sure, but as he listened, the young captive heard light, careful footsteps rather than the stiff heavy ones he had been expecting. The newcomer didn't even turn the light on. Instead, a flashlight lit the path down the stairs. It was too dark for Feliciano to see who was holding it, though. When the beam shone on his face, he squinted and called out in a shaky voice.

"W-who's there?"

"Shhh," a woman's voice whispered back. "Stay quiet."

Feliciano's eyes widened as he recognized the voice of the person who spoke to him.

"Y-you're that lady! From the resort!" he gasped.

"Yes," the stranger replied quietly as she knelt down next to him and turned off the flashlight. "You can call me Liz."

"Liz," Feliciano mumbled, doubting it was her real name. "W-what do you want?"

It was no surprise he was so wary of her after what had happened. He had thought capturing him had been her only goal, but now she had returned...It couldn't mean anything good. Had she received orders to deal with him? There was no way Feliciano could trust her again after what she had done, no matter how pretty she was.

"Relax," Liz whispered. "I'm not going to hurt you. Look, I'm sorry about before. I was only following orders, you know. I didn't want to hurt someone as innocent-looking as you."

Feliciano trembled as a hand brushed the hair out of his face in the dark. He didn't like being treated like a child, but he was too afraid to say or do anything when he was obviously at a disadvantage.

"That was quite a blow you took from my frying pan," she continued, touching the bump that had formed on his head gently. "I know you must hate me right now, but I'm actually here to help you."

That got Feliciano's attention quickly.

"_Help_ me? Because of you, I'm going to die here!" he blurted out.

"No, you're not. Ludwig, he- he talks big, but he doesn't really want to hurt anybody. I'm sure he threatened you and maybe even made you wet yourself like he's done to people before. But he's a good guy. It's only Gilbert's disappearance that's driven him a little insane."

"His brother?" Feliciano questioned, frowning.

"Yes," Liz said. "Ever since he's been gone, Ludwig's been a little more..._intense_ than usual. He can't be friendly to anyone anymore."

"I thought he was more than a little _unfriendly_," the Italian murmured, curling into a tight ball as he remembered how frightening the man had been.

"It can't be helped," the other replied. "Until Gilbert comes back, he won't listen to anything the rest of us say. He's convinced that your family knows where he is, and so, we made a plan to capture you and hold you for ransom."

Feliciano sighed. He considered telling Liz that he wasn't who Ludwig thought he was, but in his hours lying in the dark, Feliciano had come to the realization that telling his captor the truth would only put his brother in danger. They would hunt him down and bring him back here too, and there was no way Feliciano could stand the thought of that. He had to protect Lovino.

"You said you'd help me...Are you going to set me free?" he asked hopefully.

"No," Liz admitted, making the Italian's chest feel like someone had dropped a heavy weight on it. "But I do want to make you more comfortable. How about some food? I'm sure you must be starving by now."

Feliciano's mouth watered and his stomach growled loudly at the mention of something to eat.

"Maybe a little," Felicanio admitted embarrassedly.

"I think your stomach speaks for itself," the other chuckled. "Here, let me help you up."

Liz took a hold of the captive's arm and pulled him to his feet. Feliciano was surprised at how strong she was and thought it was no wonder she had been able to knock him out so easily, especially with something as heavy as a frying pan. She turned on the flashlight again and guided him over to a stack of boxes, helping him seat himself on one.

"I'll be right back. There ought to be something in the kitchen I can get for you," she said and went up the stairs, leaving Feliciano alone.

Feliciano waited quietly in the dark, wishing Liz had at least left her flashlight or turned on a lamp before she had gone. It was creepy being in a strange place and not being able to see anything. He couldn't help but feel someone might be waiting in the shadows to jump out at him at any moment...Feliciano whimpered quietly and tried to think of something more positive. At least he would get to eat soon. He was glad the lady had taken pity on him enough to feed him, but he was still resentful that she had been the one to capture him. How loyal was she to Ludwig? By the way she had snuck down here, there was no doubt that she was visiting him secretly, without orders to do so from anyone. Feliciano still wouldn't exactly consider her a friend or ally after this, but at least she had not left him to suffer.

It was only a few minutes later that Liz returned, holding a hot plate in her hand. She made her way carefully down the stairs again, using the flashlight to guide her steps, and by the time she returned to the starving captive, Feliciano was practically drooling. He could smell the food- not the most appetizing aroma, he had to admit- but he was still eager to eat it. He tugged on the ropes binding his wrists and whimpered a bit, remembering he was still incapable of feeding himself as long as he was tied up. Feliciano watched with hungry eyes as Liz set the plate down on a crate next to him.

"Can you please untie my hands?" Feliciano begged. "I can't eat like this!"

"Sorry...I can't do that," Liz replied apologetically, earning a moan of disappointment from the other. "Shh, quiet. Ludwig will notice if I untie you, and even if I'm being nice, I can't exactly let you escape, you see."

"But my legs are tied!" Feliciano protested. "I can't run anywhere!"

"That doesn't mean you can't attack me," the woman said, crossing her arms. "Now I'm going to feed you, so show a little appreciation and just keep _quiet._ If Ludwig hears us, there's going to be nothing for you to eat except breadcrumbs, and that's if he's feeling generous."

The captive sighed quietly, but did as he was told. Not being allowed to eat was the worst punishment of all- at least, that's what he had thought before he took the first bite of mystery food Liz shoveled into his mouth.

"BLARG!"

"D-don't spit it out!" Liz scolded him, pounding a fist lightly on his head, accidently hitting the bump and causing her captive to yelp. "You have to eat it."

"T-that tastes awful!" Feliciano groaned, still trying to get the horrible flavor off his tongue.

"Would you rather starve?"

"YES!" Feliciano cried.

Never could he remember something so horrible ever entering his mouth. Even the worst food in his house never tasted this bad...Then again, there were few things Feliciano ate at home that he didn't like. The young man was spoiled by fine cuisine prepared by the cook his father had hired. Everything was always fresh and high-quality. Whatever he had eaten just now tasted like it had been mixed with a cup of salt, burnt, and then left out on the counter for a few days. Feliciano wasn't even sure it could be called "food" anymore. To him, it tasted like garbage.

"It's not _that_ bad," Liz grumbled, bending over to sniff the plate. She didn't seem to understand what had been so unappetizing as to deserve such a reaction from the other. She mixed the food around a little bit to see if it helped at all and lifted another forkful up towards Feliciano's lips. The captive only shook his head, keeping his lips shut tight and pulled back over his teeth like a toddler refusing to eat.

"Open up!" Liz ordered, growing impatient.

"Mm-mm!" Feliciano refused, still shaking his head.

"Be a good boy and eat your food!" the lady snapped, reaching out to pinch the other's nose.

Feliciano struggled, turning blue before he finally gasped for air. Liz wasted no time flinging the food into his mouth and blocking the exit with her hand. She continued to cover the other's mouth until, in his thrashing, he finally swallowed, choking a bit in the process. Liz removed her hand as he sputtered, and she wiped it off on her clothes with a look of disgust on her face.

"For goodness sake, don't be such a baby! I was trying to be nice, and now I'm force-feeding you."

"That was the worse torture!" Feliciano whimpered.

"If you don't eat, you're just going to go hungry and what good will that do anyone? Ludwig won't give you anything better than this. As long as you stay alive, that's enough for him."

"I can't eat that..." the other complained. "If I do, I'll get sick and that's worse than being hungry!"

"Hunger will make you sick too," Liz sighed. "Look, I'll leave the food here and when you're hungry enough, you can eat it. I'll be back for the plate before Ludwig comes in the morning, though, so don't take your time."

With that, she set the plate down on a box next to him and made her way back towards the stairs.

"W-wait, where are you going?" Feliciano whined.

"I'm going to bed," the woman answered. "If you won't let me help you, there's nothing else I can do here."

"No! Please don't leave me alone!" he begged. "Could you at least leave the light on? It's creepy down here in the dark!" Who knew what was lurking around these crates. There could have been mice or bugs or ugly little statues with twisted faces that would terrify him even more when the shadows obscured their figures.

"I can't," Liz replied, still feeling a bit sorry for the other despite the annoyance in her tone. "I'm not supposed to be here, and it's better if no one finds out I came. I'm sorry, Lovino..."

With that, she hurried up the steps, guided by her flashlight. Feliciano frowned. It was still strange being called by his brother's name, but he supposed he would have to get used to it if that was who everyone around here was going to assume he was. It was for Lovino's own good that no one found out otherwise. Feliciano felt the tears coming back. What kind of Mafiosi was he? _Not a real one,_ he reminded himself. No one had ever initiated him. He was not a "made" man...and yet, he was stuck in a hostage situation because of his value to the crime organization. It just wasn't fair.

"I never signed up for his," he whimpered to no one. "Lovino..."

He wondered what his brother was doing now. There was a chance Lovino might reveal himself, and then his captors would know that they had gotten the wrong Italian. Feliciano didn't want to think of what they would do with him then. Maybe they would use him to get Lovino. _Papa, if you were here, this wouldn't be happening,_ he thought miserably as he sniffed and wiped his cheek on his own shoulder. Nothing had been the same since the Don's disappearance. It broke his heart to think that he might never see him again, and even though his brother didn't show it, Feliciano knew that Lovino had been greatly affected too. Was the underboss, Sadiq, looking for their father? He had always wondered if Sadiq thought he and Lovino were in his way, a lingering part of the Don who was no longer in power, but he had a feeling the man saw him and his brother as useful tools that should probably be saved. He wasn't sure exactly how valuable they were to him, though.

_If Sadiq finds out where I am after they offer him the ransom, maybe he'll come and rescue me._ It was probably wishful thinking. If what Liz said was true about Ludwig wanting to trade him for information on his brother, Feliciano wasn't really sure Sadiq would be able to give him what he wanted. Liz had said the brother's name was Gilbert...No matter how hard Feliciano tried, he couldn't recall ever meeting anyone with that name. Something about it did sound a little familiar though. Was he really an acquaintance of the Don's after all? It felt pointless to try to figure it out right now.

Feliciano's stomach twisted from hunger and the little bit of nasty food that he had managed to swallow. He could still smell the plate sitting close to him even though he couldn't see it very well. Disgusting...Was he really going to be forced to eat this just to stay alive? Feliciano mustered up his courage and bent close enough to the food to take a brave bite. The bitter gravy on what he guessed were potatoes stayed on his nose as he attempted to eat without the use of his hands. Feliciano squeezed his eyes shut and made a low noise of distress. He just couldn't do it! His throat felt tight, and he wanted to spit the flavor off of his tongue as soon as it entered his mouth. There was no way he was going to be able to put up with this.

"Ve..." Sighing in defeat, Feliciano wiggled back onto the ground and tried not to think of how badly he wished his hands were untied. Maybe tomorrow he could convince Ludwig to loosen the ropes a bit- though the thought of facing the intimidating man again caused him to tremble. As if being a prisoner wasn't bad enough- now he wasn't even allowed to have food that actually tasted good. Maybe he could put in a word about that too, if the next dish he was given was this bad. He doubted it would do much, but it was worth a try. The Family had always said he could be very persuasive when he wanted to be. He just needed to prepare himself for it. Hoping that Ludwig wouldn't yell too much the next time he talked to him, Feliciano finally closed his eyes and drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

tbc

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**A/N: Sorry for the delay! I hope you're enjoying the story so far. For those who have been following the story for a while, thank you so much for your patience. I really appreciate the feedback I've received for this story so far and look forward to writing more! Please let me know what you think. Thanks a lot!**

**-K.I.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Someone to Trust**

In spite of all the complaining Lovino did, the one thing he never really talked about was how he felt about his family. His whole life, he had been expected to look after his brother- even when their mother had been alive, his parents had always told him to watch Feliciano, to keep him safe, to set a good example. Even now, Lovino still resented it. He had done his best to meet his parents' expectations, but Feliciano had been the one who had been praised more, coddled more, and overall smothered with affection more often than Lovino ever felt he had been. His more prideful side tried to convince him that he shouldn't care. The fact that he hadn't been fussed over quite as much had made him a stronger person in his opinion. Though he really wasn't much braver or more powerful than his brother, he at least had the appearance of a tougher man, and he wasn't about to let anyone tell him he was anything different. If there was one thing Lovino could do right, it was talk big. Feliciano was the Persuader; he was the Intimidator. Their methods were very different, but together, they were a successful duo. Separated, they were each only one half of a whole- neither very strong on his own. Lovino needed to get his brother back.

The old man had sure picked a lousy time to disappear. Lovino's relationship with his father was a complicated one. As a child, he had always admired the Don and had wanted to grow up to be as strong and respected as he was. As Lovino grew older, however, and learned the specifics of what exactly his father did, he let go of those aspirations, thinking such a life was too dangerous and unappealing once he knew what was involved. Fortunately for him, his father had never wanted his sons involved in the family business anyway. The reason it had taken Lovino so long to find out about the illicit resources of the Vargas' wealth was because the Don had been careful not to talk about it in front of his and his brother's innocent ears. They were well-shielded from it, but by the time Lovino and Feliciano turned eighteen, their father felt he had no choice but to finally be honest with them and let them know exactly who he was and why so many people came to him for business. Lovino remembered that day very well. He had been so angry with his father, so appalled and disdainful that he had caused Feliciano to panic, thinking that Lovino was about to leave their family for good. But the older brother just hadn't been able to do it. He couldn't abandon his brother or the rest of his family, and though his tongue had lashed furious, offensive words at the Don that had earned him a slap in the face, he still didn't completely hate him. He had stayed, and as Lovino would learn later, the decision to remain with Feliciano hadn't just been the right one- it had been the only one to ensure his little brother's safety.

Lovino's dreams were disjointed pieces of reminiscing thoughts of his childhood, his life before he had known who the Don was, and the uneasy years that followed, until finally, he came back to the present time and remembered that his father was still missing, possibly to never return again. Lovino woke up feeling depressed and lonely, like a child who had gotten left behind. He blinked drowsily, trying to make sense of the unfamiliar coffee table before him and the strange couch he found himself sleeping on. Then, all at once, it hit Lovino, causing him to suddenly sit upright in alarm. Dammit, where was he?! It took him a moment to remember the events that had led up to him coming here. That's right…his search for Feliciano had been brought to a standstill when he had been forced to go into hiding in this crummy café. Lovino groaned, holding his throbbing head that hadn't appreciated the unexpected motion of his body bolting upright. Someone had draped a blanket over him that now lay bunched around his waist. There was a cold cup of coffee sitting on the coffee table next to him, untouched. The image of the café owner, Antonio, came to mind, and Lovino wondered where the man was now and if he would see him again soon. As kind as it had been of the bastard to offer him a little shelter in exchange for the assistance Lovino had mostly failed to give, he knew he couldn't stay here much longer. His brother was still out there, and dangerous or not, Lovino had to go look for him. Just as he was about to get up and slip away, though, a friendly voice called out to him.

"Goooood morning!" he chirped. "Or should I say 'good evening'? You sure slept a lot, Romano! You must have been very, very tired."

"Roma-? Oh," the younger man slurred, remembering his alias now. "Y-yeah, I was, dammit. That's what happens when you don't fucking sleep a whole night."

"Pobrecito," Antonio murmured sympathetically. "You're welcome to rest more if you want. Would you like a snack? I can make you a real meal if you'd rather have some dinner. My apartment's just upstairs, so I can cook you something quick and filling!"

"No, thanks," Lovino answered quickly, rising shakily to his feet. "I gotta get going. Been here too long already."

"But wait," the café owner protested, giving him a frown. "I still need help making some improvements around here. Can't you stay a bit longer?"

The younger man only narrowed his eyes at him.

"Look, I don't have time to pretend I care about what happens to this shithole. This place looks like it hasn't seen a customer in months. Whatever you're doing wrong, it's not gonna get any better with any suggestions I can give you, dammit. I'm not some kind of 'expert' like you think I am."

Antonio sighed, obviously disappointed by this response. He gave the ground a troubled look and crossed his arms, thinking. Lovino didn't waste time waiting for him to come up with an answer. Still feeling kind of groggy, he trudged towards the door, trying to peek out of the tilted blinds. It was dark out already, unsurprisingly. He really must have slept through the entire day, and now he would have to adjust to a nocturnal schedule. The only plus side was that it would be easier for him to move around in the dark without being seen. Lovino wasn't sure where to start resuming his search. He supposed he could check the casinos again, but what if Sadiq's men were posted there? Lovino was beginning to weigh the consequences of what would happen if he was discovered by the underboss against what would happen if he continued to hide from him. He had never trusted the man and was worried about what Sadiq would do without the Don around to keep him in check. Lovino felt responsible for the loss of his brother, and even if the underboss didn't kill him for his folly, his pride still refused to let him return without Feliciano. He had to do it, for the sake of their Family…

"Well, good luck to you," a voice said behind him, snapping him out of his thoughts. "I know you must have something important to do, so I won't keep you any longer. If I could just ask you for one quick favor, though…" Antonio pulled out a notepad and pen from the apron he was still wearing. "Those drinks that you mentioned yesterday- would you mind writing them down? It will only take a second, and even just that much will help me out a little."

Lovino huffed, snatching the pen and notepad away from the other and scribbling down the Italian coffee names as quickly as he could. Normally he wouldn't have bothered, but if it was enough to get the other man to shut up and leave him alone without a guilt trip, then he supposed he could take a few seconds to satisfy his request.

"There. Make sure you look up how to make them properly. It's not going to do you any good to have the right names and still have it taste like crap…and make sure you have the right kind of sugar. None of that cheap shit."

"Si, si, I'll get right on that. The last customer I had…he came in over a week ago and finished all the sugar off! I'll have to buy some more."

"Wait, you've actually _had_ a customer?"

"Yes! A very muscular Italian man with a rough shave, haha. He had a few funny curls sticking out of his hair, too! And when he came, he ordered the biggest-"

"_When?_" Lovino snapped, stunning Antonio.

"Oh, um...Well..."

"When did you see him, dammit?!" the younger man demanded, his face turning red as he fought to control himself.

"Last week," the cafe owner replied with a frown. "He came here to meet someone. Why? Do you know him?"

"Fuck no...I don't- I don't know," Lovino muttered, growing quiet even though his body trembled slightly. A week...For all he knew it could have been the day he disappeared. But why here? This place was a shithole. A cafe no one ever visited._ Making it a perfect place to meet someone in secret..._ Lovino furrowed his eyebrows, trying to decide what to do. If his father was still alive, would he come back here again? How much could he question this cafe owner without giving too much about himself away? He needed to find out where his old man had gone. It might be a bit risky, but it was the only chance he had of getting himself out of this mess. His father would know how to save Feliciano, and dealing with Sadiq wouldn't be a problem for him anymore. That was, if the Don was even still alive.

"I mean...he sounds kind of familiar, but-" Lovino bit his lip. "Do you remember anything else? Like who he was meeting with?"

Antonio hummed in thought but shook his head.

"Sorry, I can't say that I do. One thing that I do remember though-" The cafe owner smiled brightly at Lovino. "-they said they would be back."

The other's mouth just about dropped open. His father would be here? The idea was shocking, and Lovino wasn't sure he believed it right away. It didn't mean that the old man was alive. Even if he was, what if this crazy bastard was just pulling his leg? There was no way Lovino knew for sure he could trust him, and the situation just seemed a little too convenient for him. Still, he couldn't live not knowing if the possibility of his father returning was real.

"M-maybe I'll be back sometime too, then. Just to see if my...'friend' stopped by again," he murmured.

"Come back anytime," Antonio replied, glancing down at the phone and the notepad Lovino had given him. "You'll have to test my new drinks to make sure they're okay!"

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Lovino huffed. "Just try not to kill any customers in the process."

With that, he made his way to the door determinedly and let himself out. As he set out into the dark night, he couldn't help but wish he could stay in this place a little longer, just to see if the old man really would come back. Maybe it hadn't really been him after all. There could have been other muscular men with curly hair that liked a little too much sugar in their coffee...Something about this cafe owner didn't sit quite right with Lovino, either. As he took a few steps further down the street, he hide for a while in some bushes and then backtracked a bit to glance at the cafe again. Surprisingly, Antonio had already turned the lights out, both downstairs and upstairs. It was certainly late enough for a cafe to close, but Lovino thought it was still too early for bedtime, and he hadn't seen the Spaniard leave. Nervously, he began to move faster, eager to put some distance between him and this strange place. It was time to continue his search.

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**A/N: Sorry for the wait. I hope you're enjoying the story so far! The family secret will be revealed in the next chapter DUMDUMDUUUUM~ Thank you for reading! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: The Family Secret**

"He's not eating, Roderich."

A bespectacled young man turned to face his childhood friend and housemate Liz, who was washing dishes with him in the kitchen.

"He will eat when he's hungry enough. No one wants to die of starvation, no matter how picky they are," he replied, drying the plate the other handed him.

"But he's extremely stubborn! I even tried to make the pasta he asked for, and he refused to eat it because I used sauce from a can!"

"Then maybe you should try something a little closer to his standards, Beta..."

There was a clang as Liz bumped the dish she was cleaning against the bottom of the sink. The woman turned to look at Roderich challengingly.

"Why don't _you_ cook for him, then, if it's so easy? You always said you liked what I make!"

"I-I wasn't trying to insult your cooking. Your food is fine! This boy's obviously been spoiled by his father. I still think you should force him to accept what you give him. Prisoners don't get choices."

The woman frowned worriedly.

"What good is he going to be if he withers away? When Ludwig gets back, I'll tell him we need to do something about this."

"Ludwig already knows Lovino's not eating. Knowing him, he'll probably scare some sense into that brat as soon as he returns."

"I don't think the poor little guy can take it," Liz said, concerned. "Why don't we feed him before Ludwig gets home? If we bring him up here, he can choose what food he wants and tell us how he wants it made..."

"Are you serious?" Roderich asked skeptically. "Ludwig will be furious if he learns that we let his prisoner out of the basement. What if something happens?"

"What's going to happen? I never said we had to untie him. We'll just bring him up here, let him choose what he wants to eat, cook it for him the way he likes, and then feed him downstairs. Ludwig will never even have to know he was up here."

"I still don't like it. Why don't we just write down what he wants to eat and bring it down to him? He should be able to describe it well enough."

Elizabeta hummed, thinking about this option.

"I suppose we could...Even if it doesn't come out perfect, it should be edible for him, at least."

"You care too much about prisoners, Beta," Roderich replied, shaking his head slightly. "I'll go with you. Do you have a pen and paper?"

"Here's one," the other answered, grabbing them from beside the telephone. "Let's go talk to him!"

The two left the kitchen and went down the stairs to the basement where the prisoner was kept. To Liz's and Roderich's shock, the young man was lying on his side on the floor with his mouth open, a tiny puddle of drool touching the corner of his lips.

"Hungry...so hungry," Feliciano moaned as he heard the others approach.

Liz ran to him immediately and shook his shoulder.

"Lovino! Are you okay?! You can't be dying..."

"Relax, Beta," Roderich sighed, "He's just being dramatic." The man walked up beside Feliciano and nudged him with his foot. "Have some dignity! Is this the way the son of a Don should act? There isn't a drop of Mafiaso blood in you!"

Felciano whimpered and hid his face, feeling frightened and ashamed. When Roderich pressed his foot down on his head, he gave a loud cry, prompting Liz to smack the other's leg away.

"Stop that, Roderich! He already gets enough grief from Ludwig without you torturing him, too."

"He needs to pull himself together! Do you _want_ to die here, boy?"

"N-no!" Feliciano shrieked, pulling himself off the floor so fast that he wobbled dizzily as he knelt there on the ground. "I...I...I just want something to eat!"

"You've been offered plenty," Roderich said, crossing his arms. "And yet, you've shown no signs of accepting it, not even to preserve your own life."

"I can't eat that," the other muttered. "Just the smell of it makes me gag."

"Well, you're lucky then that Elizabeta is taking pity on you. Hurry up and tell her what you'd like her to cook."

"El...Liz?" Feliciano questioned, looking up at the woman hazily. "You'll cook something else for me?"

"I suppose I have no choice, with the way you've been acting. If you won't eat what I make for you, I'll just have to let Ludwig do the convincing."

"N-no!" Feliciano cried, "Anything but that! I'll eat what you make this time; I promise."

"Alright. Tell me what you'd like."

"Mm...Well, some soup sounds nice. With sausage, tomatoes, zucchini, onions..."

Feliciano gave Elizabeta a long list of ingredients to add to the soup and explained quickly how to make it. When he had finished, the other frowned down at her scribbles and looked back at the prisoner.

"I'm not even sure we have all these ingredients. I might have to improvise a little."

Feliciano shook his head stubbornly but stopped when he saw the glare Roderich threw him.

"C-can I help?" he offered. "If you let me come upstairs, I can see what ingredients you have and decide on something else if there's not enough there."

He gave the two a hopeful look, wanting to get out of that basement more than anything. It felt like weeks since he had been captured even though he knew it had been barely more than two days. The cement floor was hard and cold. Feliciano's body felt so weak from lack of good food that just the thought of his beloved soup was enough to make his mouth water and his stomach grumble as he fought to keep enough focus not to fall over.

"Please," he begged. "I promise I won't cause you any trouble. If I'm in the kitchen with you, you won't need to worry about it coming out right. I'll be able to help, and it's not like I can go anywhere tied up like this. Please! You have my word that I won't try to run away. I just want to eat."

He tried not to whine too much or sound like he was attempting to trick them. Feliciano used the voice he practiced when his father had sent him on missions as a negotiator- calm and direct, but not overly forceful. It was gentle and persuasive, nothing more.

"Well..." Liz started, giving her companion a doubtful look. "What do you think, Roderich?"

Roderich scoffed and shook his head.

"You already know what I think. The fool should just eat whatever you give him. If you insist on incurring Ludwig's wrath, however, I will help you bring him upstairs."

"Thank you!" the woman said gratefully, embracing her friend.

"S-stop that!" Roderich protested embarrassedly. "Let's get him on his feet already."

Elizabeta and Roderich raised Feliciano up between them. Once he was stable, Liz bent down to untie the ropes around his ankles. When she had finished, she stood up again, holding the rope and a small knife in one hand. She pointed the blade at the prisoner threateningly, though a gentle smile stayed on her face.

"Just because I'm trying to help you doesn't mean I'll let you take advantage of this. Don't try anything funny or you'll be sorry we ever pitied you," she warned him. "I'm doing you a big favor right now."

Feliciano gulped and nodded subtly, keeping his eyes fixed on the knife.

"Y-yes! I understand! I won't try to escape, I promise."

"Good," Elizabeta replied. "Now start walking."

Still keeping the weapon in hand, she let Roderich lead the prisoner up the stairs as she followed behind, keeping an eye on Feliciano's feet in case he tried to kick or fake a stumble. Fortunately, they made it to the top of the stairs with no incidents, and Roderich brought them both to the kitchen.

Feliciano took a look around, observing what was available to cook with. It wasn't as big as the kitchen he was used to at home, with all its fresh ingredients stocked in the pantry or hanging on the walls. Instead, this one seemed rather plain, and there was no sight of actual food anywhere. He frowned a bit, wondering what kind of ingredients they had here.

Elizabeta walked over to the refrigerator and started laying some vegetables out on the counter. Roderich stood close to Feliciano, watching him with a wary eye and keeping his arms crossed in disapproval. Feliciano was doing some disapproving of his own as he frowned down at the food Liz was setting before him, some of which already looked far from fresh or appetizing. However, he was smart enough not to complain about it or critique the food out loud.

"There we go!" Liz said, gesturing at the vegetables. "Carrots, onions, zucchini...or is that a cucumber? Well, it should all go well in the soup, don't you think? What else was it that you said we needed, Lovi?"

"I, um- Well..." Feliciano stammered, trying to figure out what to say that wouldn't get him in trouble. "It's...okay, but-" He shuddered a bit at the dirty look Roderich threw him. "Ah- do you have yellow onions? The red ones are fine, but yellow is better for this recipe..."

Elizabeta checked again.

"No, sorry. It's going to have to be red, I'm afraid."

"Okay," Feliciano sighed, hoping that the soup would taste alright even with the wrong kind of onion. "So, no zucchinis either? That's a cucumber on the counter."

"That's all we have," the woman said curtly, getting a little annoyed. Feliciano was silent for a moment, still looking forlornly at the vegetables on the counter. Then he realized there was something very important missing, something that he just couldn't have the soup without.

"Please tell me you at least have some tomatoes! They're my favorite, and...I think almost anything will be good as long as you have those in there."

It was a lie, of course, but if there was one thing Feliciano didn't want to be deprived of, it was good tomatoes. He and his brother had always loved dishes that included them, and never in his memory had there been a time when their house was empty of them. They had even had a few plants growing in the garden behind the house. Feliciano felt homesickness overtake him as he thought about the plump red probably wouldn't be able to ignore how bad everything else tasted, but it would make him feel better knowing that at least his favorite ingredient was included.

"Well, I'm not sure if we have any fresh ones, but I can look," Liz answered. She began shuffling through the refrigerator, looking on every shelf and in every drawer, but it didn't seem their household had stocked up on any tomatoes recently. Only a few fruits were kept outside the fridge, and there was not one tomato among them. "Sorry, Lovino, but we're all out. We'll just have to make the soup without them."

Feliciano hung his head miserably. While others might consider it trivial, missing the one ingredient that he wanted the most in his long-awaited meal was no less than tragic. It hadn't been much to ask, he had thought. It figured, with the luck he had been having, that he couldn't even be afforded this simple luxury any more. What kind of dish would his family's recipe be without the tomatoes? Thinking about it too much was almost enough to make him lose his appetite. Feliciano let out a low groan that not even Roderich's stare could silence and felt something stir within him that was stronger even than the disappointment that crushed him. He was angry.

"I don't want it! If I can't have tomatoes, there's no point in making it! This soup just won't be the same! What kind of place is this, with no tomatoes? I feel like I'm in hell!"

"YOU WILL BE WHEN I GET THROUGH WITH YOU, YOU SELF-ABSORBED LITTLE BRAT!"

All three of them jumped at the new booming voice that echoed through the kitchen. Elizabetha, Roderich, and Feliciano turned to face the tall blonde man standing in the doorway to the kitchen looking furious. Ludwig's angry blue eyes were fixed on Feliciano, who shrieked and backed up into the counter, but the blonde also glared at his two housemates as well.

"WHO let him up here?! I gave strict orders that the prisoner was not to leave the basement!"

"I-I'm sorry, Ludwig!" Elizabeta replied. "But he was starving! I just wanted to make something he'd like. I wasn't going to let him escape!"

Feliciano was surprised that she didn't look as scared of the loud angry man as he thought she should have been. Roderich also seemed to be slightly nervous, but otherwise calm and collected.

"I helped her, too," he told Ludwig casually. "We thought that both of us would be enough to keep him under control while we determined the best way to revive him after we found him wasting away downstairs."

"It was not your responsibility," Ludwig growled through his teeth. "If I had wanted to spoil him, I would have hired him his own cook. This kind of treatment is unacceptable for a prisoner."

Feliciano felt like he was about to cry. Why wasn't he allowed to eat what he wanted? If he was being held for ransom, like he assumed he was, wouldn't his father demand that he be returned unharmed? What he was experiencing here was nothing short of torture in his opinion. Of course, he knew it could be much worse- they could be hitting him, or stabbing him, or mailing one of his fingers back to his family to demand the money faster (Feliciano's imagination was a dangerous place to lurk), but being starved was harder than the Don's son had ever pictured it to be. He could not remember one time in his life that he had gone hungry or been forced to eat something he hated. It just wasn't fair that they expected him to adjust so fast, and what was worse was that he had even been given a bit of hope when he had been taken up here to choose his own ingredients...only to find that he couldn't have the one thing he wanted the most. Now this man was terrifying him, and he didn't even know how to react besides whimpering quietly. _Fratello, I want to go home..._

"I've had enough of your whining," Ludwig snapped, causing his prisoner to jump. "From now on, you'll eat what I give you, even if you have to be forced. This is no luxury vacation you're taking- you don't get choices. If you continue to resist, I'll have no choice but to inflict more severe punishments! Do you understand, Lovino?"

"N-no! I mean, yes! I mean- SORRY!" he cried, still confused by being called by his brother's name.

"I said, 'DO YOU UNDERSTAND?'!"

"YES!"

Ludwig reached out and grabbed the other's head, tightening his grip on the younger man's hair until his prisoner yelped in pain. The man pulled Feliciano's head back so that he was looking at him directly in the eyes. The smaller man flinched, shutting his own eyes quickly and trembling. He was terrified, and the hand pulling his hair _hurt_.

"Open your eyes!" Ludwig barked, and the other obeyed, stretching them wide in fear. "I'm serious about the punishment. Just because you are the son of the Don doesn't mean you'll be treated like a prince here. You're here to help me get what I want, not to be pampered and returned in pristine condition. If I have to, I will hurt you-" He pulled his hair up a bit further. "-don't forget it."

With that, he released his grip, but not before tugging on that one annoyingly long strand that had been bothering him since the moment he had first seen it. To his surprise, however, the long curly hair did not budge. Ludwig thought it would have been easy to pull out, but even as he tried, he could see that his prisoner's head only went with it, as if it was permanently attached. What was even more odd was that the man it belonged to did not cry out or protest as Ludwig would expect him to. Instead, the other had become suspiciously quiet. His eyes had lost their fearful look and instead appeared cold and distant. Ludwig was staring at them in confusion until suddenly, he felt an unexpectedly strong kick to the shin, followed by a knee right up into his groin. The blonde let out a choked gasp and fell to his knees, clutching the aching area. He gritted his teeth and glared at the defiant prisoner, but the other moved so fast, that he almost missed what happened next.

One moment, Elizabeta was beside him, holding her knife out defensively. The next, the knife had been snatched out of her hand as the woman was kicked mercilessly to the floor. Then, a few more quick turns and the prisoner had pressed himself up against the counter, the ropes around his wrist weakened enough that he had been able to burst free. He held Elizabeta's knife in one hand. Ludwig wasn't sure if the blood on it had come from his prisoner's wrists or the woman he had stolen the blade from. One thing was certain- the man standing before him wasn't the same coward he had captured. His clothes, hair, and body hadn't changed, but the look on his face and his entire demeanor were nothing like the trembling coward he had seen only a moment ago. This man had undergone some sort of transformation. Ludwig stared at him incredulously as he rose up to his feet and faced his armed prisoner.

"L-lovino?!"

The other gave a malicious laugh and flicked his tongue over the side of the blade, staring back at Ludwig fearlessly as he licked the blood away.

"My name...is Feliciano."

/

tbc

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**A/N:** And with a twist, the family secret is revealed! It won't mean good things for Ludwig...The first chapter may make a little more sense now. Thank you to everyone who's been following this story. I hope you guys know that every time I'm about to write a new chapter, I go back and read my comments to boost my morale. It's great to know how much people enjoy the story and whether they want to read more! So please leave a review, even if it's a short one. :) I look forward to writing the next chapter soon.

-K.I.


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